[SOLVED] My Guitar sounds incredibly fuzzy, flabby, and frankly awful with modern high gain tones - what can I do to fix the sounds?

I appreciate the tips on creating a new patch, but my main concern is why all the presets sound like this. I can't get a definitive answer of "yes, all the high gain presets sound like this" or "no, there's something wrong with your set up." I had the guitar set up professionally about a month ago when I got it set up for C standard, so I'm not sure that it's anything to do with the guitar. My friend has a Les Paul standard that I'm going to try tomorrow to rule out the guitar.

I'll re-iterate that I have made NO modifications to either of the presets in the recordings, it was just factory reset and is a brand new unit. It sounds exactly like this through my monitors/headphones as it does in the recording. Almost every single "ultra" high gain tone sounds like this. It's making me wonder if it's somehow the JB in my guitar combined with the wiring.
 
I appreciate the tips on creating a new patch, but my main concern is why all the presets sound like this.
When you follow along with Leon's videos, do you get a tone similar to him? You should expect some minor tweaking of input level and eq, but that's the best reference to answer your question about whether there is something wrong with your guitar. You can also use Yek's reference thread (link below). Your question about the factory presets is an academic one since you don't know what the preset author intended for them to sound like.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/soundclips-for-reference-purpose.174944/#post-2121756
 
When you follow along with Leon's videos, do you get a tone similar to him? You should expect some minor tweaking of input level and eq, but that's the best reference to answer your question about whether there is something wrong with your guitar. You can also use Yek's reference thread (link below). Your question about the factory presets is an academic one since you don't know what the preset author intended for them to sound like.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/soundclips-for-reference-purpose.174944/#post-2121756

Great point - when I get some time I'll replicate his 5150 5 minute tone and see what it sounds like.
 
Try a real rectifier without the right setup and it will sound... flubby and fizzy.

In my opinion you should completely disregard presets and make your own. Go with the advice the guys have stated, use less gain than you think you need. If I make a 5150 patch I can have the gain literally at 2 on the dial and play brutal death metal. Master volume also a major component. Too high amps sound loose and flubby. Obviously a tube screamer type pedal is necessary for 90+% of amps as well.
 
Yours doesn't sound right to me. I just tested a few guitars through the Djentlemanly preset and they sounded similar to Cooper's clip, any differences were just pickup character, but yours sounded nothing like any of them, and a JB should be pretty "standard" in tone. Try a different guitar as soon as you can and see if somethings up with your wiring. I've had an "experienced" tech install passive pickups but leave the active pots in before, so you never know with them.



Also, here's a clip of Leon using a guitar with a JB, it might be helpful to compare using the same amp with stock settings.
 
Yours doesn't sound right to me. I just tested a few guitars through the Djentlemanly preset and they sounded similar to Cooper's clip, any differences were just pickup character, but yours sounded nothing like any of them, and a JB should be pretty "standard" in tone. Try a different guitar as soon as you can and see if somethings up with your wiring. I've had an "experienced" tech install passive pickups but leave the active pots in before, so you never know with them.



Also, here's a clip of Leon using a guitar with a JB, it might be helpful to compare using the same amp with stock settings.


Yeah, I don't think it's right, either. I don't have another guitar with anywhere near hot enough pickups, but let me see if I can try something.
 
Okay, I recorded it again, this time in standard tuning with 11s on my 335 that has a SD 59 in the bridge. It does sound quite a bit better, so I do wonder if something is potentially up with the Charvel?

Warborn Djentlemanly 335

I will say it doesn’t necessarily still sound that close to what I can find online as it’s still kind of fuzzy and tinny, but it’s way closer.
 
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Thanks for all the replies - I unplugged from the MacBook to see if it would have any effect and it didn't. Comparisons aside, the reason I'm so concerned by this is the fact that the Recto preset sounds like that. Are the presets just not worth my time and I should make my own patch? Is something wrong?

I understand that there are tons of adjustments that can be made - better EQing, messing with cabs, low/high cuts, etc, but the presets so far have been nearly unusable.

I've attached the two presets to see if there's anything wrong with them.

The Djent preset sounds fine through my rig.
 
Okay, I recorded it again, this time in standard tuning with 11s on my 335 that has a SD 59 in the bridge. It does sound quite a bit better, so I do wonder if something is potentially up with the Charvel?

Warborn Djentlemanly 335

I will say it doesn’t necessarily still sound that close to what I can find online as it’s still kind of fuzzy and tinny, but it’s way closer.
Got a multimeter? Can always check your pickup and all your cables.
 
Got a multimeter? Can always check your pickup and all your cables.
I don't, but I'm grabbing a new cable as we speak to check it out. I'm wondering if the strings have something to do with this too. I'm using quite hefty 12-60 strings as I'm in C standard. Wondering if I should bump that down to 12-54 to see if that helps the clarity.
 
I don't, but I'm grabbing a new cable as we speak to check it out. I'm wondering if the strings have something to do with this too. I'm using quite hefty 12-60 strings as I'm in C standard. Wondering if I should bump that down to 12-54 to see if that helps the clarity.
That sucks cuz first place I'd start is checking that pickup resistance is good and checking that all components (switches, jack, pots, cable) are good to the front of the Axe. Hell you could have a bad solder joint and not even know it. Couldn't tell you about string gauge...I only use 9s lol
 
JB's used to be my go to pickup for any guitar without any regard to the body wood. I just thought they were hot, and that's what I wanted. I'm starting to notice that sometimes they just don't play well with some of my guitars. They can sound really wooly in some of my mahogany body guitars. I have an alder body Strat style with a Floyd and it sounds very snotty and overly aggressive. Maybe you need something that has more of a tight low end as it's reputation.
 
JB's used to be my go to pickup for any guitar without any regard to the body wood. I just thought they were hot, and that's what I wanted. I'm starting to notice that sometimes they just don't play well with some of my guitars. They can sound really wooly in some of my mahogany body guitars. I have an alder body Strat style with a Floyd and it sounds very snotty and overly aggressive. Maybe you need something that has more of a tight low end as it's reputation.
Yeah, I think that makes sense. I mentioned that I ordered a guitar with Fishman Fluence Moderns that should do the trick on that end. I basically replicated the guitar that TBDM’s rhythm guitarist uses.
 
Okay, I recorded it again, this time in standard tuning with 11s on my 335 that has a SD 59 in the bridge. It does sound quite a bit better, so I do wonder if something is potentially up with the Charvel?

Warborn Djentlemanly 335

I will say it doesn’t necessarily still sound that close to what I can find online as it’s still kind of fuzzy and tinny, but it’s way closer.
You may have missed it, but I think your answer is right here:

It also sounds to me that your pickup could be too close to your strings.
And here:

JB's used to be my go to pickup for any guitar without any regard to the body wood. I just thought they were hot, and that's what I wanted. I'm starting to notice that sometimes they just don't play well with some of my guitars. They can sound really wooly in some of my mahogany body guitars. I have an alder body Strat style with a Floyd and it sounds very snotty and overly aggressive. Maybe you need something that has more of a tight low end as it's reputation.

JBs are known to be hot and kinda flubby/bass.
They're more of a jazz pickup though they're pretty popular otherwise

Lowering your pickup height, using less gain, low cuts and watching Leon's video will help you get there.

You can also wire the pickup in parallel to get a sound that is more mellow and less bassy
 
My one beef with my Charvel DK24 is the direct to body mounted pickups that I can't change the height on. :(
 
You may have missed it, but I think your answer is right here:


And here:



JBs are known to be hot and kinda flubby/bass.
They're more of a jazz pickup though they're pretty popular otherwise

Lowering your pickup height, using less gain, low cuts and watching Leon's video will help you get there.

You can also wire the pickup in parallel to get a sound that is more mellow and less bassy
Yeah, the 59 sounded way better which doesn’t make much sense, but perhaps it’s correct that the JB is to blame here. I have a while to wait for my guitar loaded with Fishman, but in the meantime I’ll try to copy Leon’s 5150 tone.
 
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